Improvement in processes of treeing boots



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. CRISP, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. I

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES OF TREEING BOOTS.

, Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,774, dated December 23, 1879; application filed November 17, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn E. CRISP, of Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in the Process of Treeing Boots, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the following-described improvement in the process of treeiug boots.

' Heretot'ore in trceiu g boots it has been customary to apply the filling composition or dressing to the boot upper and leg, and then to immediately rub it into the texture of the leather by a rub-stick reciprocated by hand thereon, and this manipulation of alternate dressing and immediate rubbing is continued until the boot is properly treed.

There are certain disadvantages in rubbing in the dressing immediately after its application. Among them maybe mentioned the imperfect distribution of the dressing in the stock, as it is, of course, taken up by the more spongyportions of the leather, and will be worked by the rubbing-tools from the firmer portions of the leather to the spongy parts.

My process contemplates the following manipulations: first, the tempering of the bootleg and upper by soaking in water, either warm or cold, as may be desired, although I prefer water heated to a temperature of from 120 to 180; second, the stretching of the boot-leg thus tempered upon a skeleton form, and the application of a dressing by a sponge or a brush while the leather is yetin temperor moist. The bootleg is not rubbed at this stage, but the dressing is allowed to dry into the leather. When the boot is almost dry, or is in such a condition that the dressing will not adhere to the finishing-tool, and the leather is sufiiciently firm not to be injured or displaced by the pressure exerted thereon, the boot is slipped onto a suitable boot-tree and stretched, and the finishing of the boot-leg and upperis done by a tool or tools which operate automatically under pressure, either lengthwise of the boottree or around the same, as the case may be; and for machines for performing this work I refer to the Comey patent, Ethridge and Crisp patent, and to the Crisp patents allowed.

The advantages of this invention are twofold: First, a great saving in time is eiiected 5 second, an improved finish is obtained.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- The improved process of treeing boots, consistin g in tempering the boot-leg and upper by soaking in water, stretching the boot-leg upon a suitable boot-tree, and applying the dressing while the boot is in temper, then-allowing the dressing and bootleg to dry, or very nearly to dry, and then again stretching the boot-leg, and, lastly, finishing the same under pressure by finishing tool or tools operated upon the outer surface of the boot, all substantially as described.

J. E. CRISP.

'Witnesses F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, A. J. OETTINGER. 

